Becoming a Research Driven Freelancer
This case study maps Jakub’s shift from creative freelancer to research-driven professional, building systems, confidence, and a feedback loop to turn curiosity into strategy.
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Case Study: A Personal Blueprint for Becoming a Research-Driven Freelancer
This case study details a strategic plan for transitioning into a research-driven freelancer specializing in the AI and digital sectors. The plan outlines the development of necessary skills, systems, and confidence to achieve this professional goal. The author, Jakub, is an AI and digital consultant, digital creative, web developer, and UI/UX designer.
The Challenge: Framing the Objective
The core challenge is to pivot towards becoming a research-driven freelancer within a field where research has not been a primary focus. Key obstacles identified include being relatively new to the field, navigating communication that blends English, Czech, and GenZ slang, and overcoming personal hurdles such as ADHD and a perception of networking as a chore.
The Plan: A Strategic Timeline
A structured timeline guides this professional development journey, breaking the process into distinct, manageable phases.
May 2025 - June 2025: Framing It
September 2025: Getting Into It
December 2025: Making It Work
January 2026: Validate & Next
Phase 1: Getting Into It - Building the Foundation
This phase focuses on creating the systems and skills necessary for the transition.
Tackling Networking
To transform networking from a "chore" to an "opportunity," a five-step plan was devised for attending community events like UX Monday.
Mindset Reframing: Consciously approach networking as an opportunity to listen and learn, rather than to "work the room".
Firm Commitment: Register for events and block out the time in the calendar to make it a non-negotiable appointment.
Set a Simple Goal: Aim for one genuine conversation per event, focusing on listening and authentic connection to remove pressure.
Reflect and Acknowledge: Dedicate 15 minutes the following day to reflect on the experience, energy levels, and the success of the mindset shift.
Schedule the Next Event: Immediately schedule the next meetup to build a consistent habit of community involvement.
Gaining Confidence and Improving Communication
Confidence will be built through a combination of hands-on experience, conducting research, and publishing work. A key tool in this process is the "CommsGPT," a custom GPT designed to act as a final check on all client communications. This tool is engineered to:
Simplify technical UX, AI, and development terms into plain language.
Correct "Czenglish" to ensure fluent, natural phrasing in one language.
Remove overly casual or Gen Z slang to maintain a professional tone.
Developing a Knowledge Base
A personal, trusted knowledge base is being built to support a microlearning strategy. Instead of broad internet searches, this curated collection of relevant sources from trusted authors and notes from personal experience will serve as the foundational source for skill-building.
Creating a Feedback Loop
To systematically measure and improve client satisfaction, an automated feedback loop has been designed. After a project is completed (indicated by a tagged thread), an automation triggers AI text processing of feedback, which is then entered into a database. This database will be analyzed every three months to identify patterns and pinpoint areas for growth.
Phase 2: Validate & Test
This phase is dedicated to testing the newly created systems.
Knowledge Base: The structure will be verified by adding 5-10 varied sources (articles, notes, videos) to test the tagging system's consistency and by retrieving specific insights to test its utility.
Automations: Tests include manually triggering automations to check for correct sequencing, using complex sources to ensure microlearning tasks remain simple, and running tests with broken links to ensure the system fails gracefully.
CommsGPT: The tool will be tested with 3-5 real examples of technical writing to validate that its output is genuinely simpler.
Feedback Loop: The trigger will be tested by applying a "DONE" tag to a test email to verify the automation runs correctly.
Phase 3: Making It Work
This stage involves the full implementation and application of the established systems.
Networking and Microlearning: The goal is to attend at least three events and complete five follow-ups by the end of the year, with the expected outcome of feeling genuinely connected to the UX community.
Publishing: To build a stronger professional brand, the plan involves dedicating 90 minutes every other week to publishing work.
Feedback Loop and Research: After testing is complete, the feedback system will be fully implemented with calendar integration. The data gathered will be analyzed and used to design better services, connecting theory with practice through methods like semi-structured user interviews focused on AIxHumans interactions.
Phase 4: Validate & Next
The final phase of the plan will focus on analyzing the research gathered, closing the feedback loop, and reflecting on the automated learning processes that have been established. This will culminate in a review of key takeaways from the entire journey.
Thoughts, ideas, and perspectives on design, simplicity, and creative process.
